Can anyone explain the vinyl renaissance?

[Mart68]

The kind of 'halo' that many vinyl setups add to the playback isn't the same though, especially hard panned L or R 'heard' on the other channel, if you understand what I mean. Got to say though, that a Rega Planar 10 with Apheta 3 pickup and played into their top phono stage, sounded to me more 'digital' than digital does Some feat really...

And only 30 times the cost of a decent CD player!

 

[Snoopy]

And only 30 times the cost of a decent CD player!

I think most of us overspend on equipment. But isn’t a nice loudspeaker, amp or turntable not a bit like owning nice furniture instead of the cheapest cardboard offerings from IKEA?

It’s just part of the hobby. On ASR many people are probably guilty of owning multiple overpriced Dacs

Spending a bit more (or a lot) on a turntable is absolutely reasonable really.

 

[Mart68]

I think most of us overspend on equipment. But isn’t a nice loudspeaker, amp or turntable not a bit like owning nice furniture instead of the cheapest cardboard offerings from IKEA?

It’s just part of the hobby. On ASR many people are probably guilty of owning multiple overpriced Dacs

Spending a bit more (or a lot) on a turntable is absolutely reasonable really.

Yes guilty of that myself. Something I use every day, I don't want to interact with some bit of plastic tat.

It's only the sound quality equation that doesn't add up.

 

[DSJR]

No way will I probably ever be able to try, let alone own one, but there's a YouTube vid of the AT LP5X with VM95ML stylus upgrade, playing into a Spartan 5 phono stage. I believe current total cost is £600 or so, which isn't a mad amount for vinyl these days. 'Sounds' very fine to me on the simple music played and 'surface noise' seems well down. Other vids this person has posted have the most diabolical mistracking noises coming from a several thousand quid Linn setup with Goldring based Adikt cartridge - YUCH!!!

Here's the AT Spartan 5 one -

 

[Snoopy]

Im interested in the Spartan 15 with my waxwing Phono Stage as Line-in for its click + pop removal and DSP.

But also interested in using a SUT with a Denon MC . gotta love this hobby. Certainly more interesting than yet another dac upgrade

 

[Muddywaters]

Im interested in the Spartan 15 with my waxwing Phono Stage as Line-in for its click + pop removal and DSP.

But also interested in using a SUT with a Denon MC . gotta love this hobby. Certainly more interesting than yet another dac upgrade

Doing it right now with my Waxwing being fed by my Musical Fidelity MX VYNL (yeah stupid name).

Also picked up the predecessor Puffin off eBay, have the parts coming to add the digital out which it was supposed to have. Currently feeding it line in from a Schitt Skoll.

 

[IPunchCholla]

Pretty much my take on it and yes it's the quieter bits. For example if a song starts with the singer acapella I hear the vocal booth or whatever the recorded acoustic is, that's just not there on vinyl. I have a Moth vacuum cleaning machine so the most of the records are pristine in terms of dust or dirt, and most are 'first pressings' bought on original release - but even so.

I have maybe 100 albums on both CD and vinyl and there's only a couple where I think the vinyl is 'better' overall.

I’ll have to listen more closely to those types of situations. But your post just made me realize I view being able to hear the space (unless recorded in that space as part of the meaning of the music) as a flaw. If I can hear the solo singer is in a booth, and I am not supposed to be thinking of the singer in a booth because they are singing about walking on seaside cliffs, it really bothers me.
It’s part of the reason I use DI for everything, if possible.

 

[Mart68]

I’ll have to listen more closely to those types of situations. But your post just made me realize I view being able to hear the space (unless recorded in that space as part of the meaning of the music) as a flaw. If I can hear the solo singer is in a booth, and I am not supposed to be thinking of the singer in a booth because they are singing about walking on seaside cliffs, it really bothers me.
It’s part of the reason I use DI for everything, if possible.

I get that, but part of my brain likes to analyse how the recording was put together. Don't ask me why. It doesn't kill my enjoyment or involvement.

I don't specifically listen for it but with a good system you don't have to, it's just there - with what I consider a 'good' system anyway.

 

[KLi]

Hi there, I haven't read the entire thread yet - yet -, but still want add my two ct. I have experienced a similar thing than vinyl lovers, only with dsd albums (very well mastered jazz, rather extensive compared to cds or streaming). Since I use Linux, I have to use a small terminal program for playback. In order to play an entire album, I first have to write a small script, to play the files one after another. This effort obviously impacts the way I listen to those albums. I find them better sounding. Do they really sound better? Maybe. Subjectively they do. Double-blind-test? Don't know. But they are special to me. And so the circle closes. Since I find them special, I continue to buy them

 

[MattHooper]

Pretty much my take on it and yes it's the quieter bits. For example if a song starts with the singer acapella I hear the vocal booth or whatever the recorded acoustic is, that's just not there on vinyl. I have a Moth vacuum cleaning machine so the most of the records are pristine in terms of dust or dirt, and most are 'first pressings' bought on original release - but even so.

I have maybe 100 albums on both CD and vinyl and there's only a couple where I think the vinyl is 'better' overall.

Right, I think we’re talking about the same type of thing.

From my part, I wouldn’t describe it as that reverb “ not there” on the vinyl, but when there are differences it tends to show up in those type of examples, were the subtle reverb will be less obvious.

If anything we’re talking about reverbs because I’ve become something of a “ reverb fan.” I actually like the sound of added reverb/acoustics captured on mic, it’s part of the beauty of the sound. And so I want to system that reproduces the finest reverb. (I also make sure reflectivity of my room allows for that). That’s one of the things I like about my Benchmark LA4 preamp over my CJ tube preamp. The slight tube “hash” very slightly obscures the faintest reverbs, which are more distinctly audible on the Benchmark.

Even though there can be some differences of the type of described between vinyl and CD, the resolution of my vinyl is still very high, and I get plenty of the reverb in tracks, even very reverb. I think if it was too low resolution I wouldn’t be playing vinyl records.

 

[Mart68]

Even though there can be some differences of the type of described between vinyl and CD, the resolution of my vinyl is still very high, and I get plenty of the reverb in tracks, even very reverb. I think if it was too low resolution I wouldn’t be playing vinyl records.

I'm picking hairs I suppose, I can happily listen to vinyl all day, I don't think it is 'too low resolution'. It has less resolution and I'm sometimes aware of that? Yes.

 

[KLi]

On the other hand, the sonic issues of LP playback are well documented and in many cases, damaging to the music in ways not possible with digital record/play. Issues of pitch and speed stability, total harmonic distortion, pre/post groove echo, IGD, warps, clicks and pops, and so on. Those jitter/reconstruction/power noise issues are known and solved, so they are non-issues. Sorry to further mangle an already expired equine, but the sonic issues of LP replay are obvious and in your face. These so-called "issues" with digital are non-issues, they would be inaudible even if these old problems weren't already solved.

Just a thought: Could it be like with woman... People tend to prefer less perfect woman, eg those with a little scar rather than with perfect skin? I've always wondered if this whimsy plays a role in the vinyl debate as well? As all digital is too perfect, too inhuman?, we seek the imperfect, the human?

 

[Robin L]

Just a thought: Could it be like with woman... People tend to prefer less perfect woman, eg those with a little scar rather than with perfect skin? I've always wondered if this whimsy plays a role in the vinyl debate as well? As all digital is too perfect, too inhuman?, we seek the imperfect, the human?

Some people get off on the aroma of very old books. There's nothing quite like the sound of a well-recorded acoustic 78 played back on a really good acoustic player, it's uncanny. I think a lot of vinyl practitioners might be drawn by the outgassing of PVC. And then there's the covers, collectible like baseball cards, shows what teams you're rooting for. It's the "unseen hand" of the marketplace. It's being hypnotized by the repeating rainbow patterns circulating on the disc as it spins. It's the memory of the aroma of an old tube amp getting nice and toasty.

 

[KLi]

You're right. I myself struggle with that, not sure what to do.

 

[KEM]

Some people get off on the aroma of very old books. There's nothing quite like the sound of a well-recorded acoustic 78 played back on a really good acoustic player, it's uncanny. I think a lot of vinyl practitioners might be drawn by the outgassing of PVC. And then there's the covers, collectible like baseball cards, shows what teams you're rooting for. It's the "unseen hand" of the marketplace. It's being hypnotized by the repeating rainbow patterns circulating on the disc as it spins. It's the memory of the aroma of an old tube amp getting nice and toasty.

For me, it is nothing like that. I enjoy listening to LPs because I enjoy the sound.

 

[Robin L]

For me, it is nothing like that. I enjoy listening to LPs because I enjoy the sound.

But there are people who enjoy the sound of acoustic 78s reproduced on an acoustic player, no doubt for similar reasons. At the same time, it's very easy to demonstrate that the acoustic disc is distorting. It's not as easy to demonstrate that an LP is distorting, but it always distorts more than the source tape or digital file.

 

[KEM]

But there are people who enjoy the sound of acoustic 78s reproduced on an acoustic player, no doubt for similar reasons. At the same time, it's very easy to demonstrate that the acoustic disc is distorting. It's not as easy to demonstrate that an LP is distorting, but it always distorts more than the source tape or digital file.

If it sounds good to one's ears it doesn't matter if there's some distortion.
One can listen through the defects.

 

[OldHvyMec]

No one here will argue that vinyl is the superior format, we all know it is not.

I will say this without any reservations. The best I've ever heard was a Reel to Reel and a sawtooth shellack freshly cut and played at a radio station in the late 70s.
There was ZERO noise on either except between tracks on the record where the noise was added for queuing. I have heard CDs that were as good on certain stereos
and honestly most CD for the sake of overall better sound, I'll give CDs the nudge. It's hard to beat what CDs can produce after 100 plays on the same CD, you simply
can't compare a pressed record after 50 plays much less 100+

I just happen to like Janis Joplin, I can't find a good much less great recording of anything she ever did, but, it sure doesn't stop me from listening to her.

Regards

 

[MattHooper]

This is a nice article on some of Korea’s audio cafés:

Korea’s Audio "Cafés"—Where the Customer ISN’T Always Right

Jonson Lee visits three music-listening spaces in Korea where silence is enforced, and the sound system—not the customer—rules. These venues offer a rare escape from choice overload, immersing visitors in pure, communal music appreciation.

pmamagazine.org

I would really love to visit one of those and sit and listen to some of those systems.

The author did an excellent job of putting into words my own issue with music streaming:

Streaming services allow us a seemingly unlimited selection of tracks we can listen to whenever we want. It wasn’t like that in the era of radio and LPs, when the music we had access to we either owned or was played for us by someone else, like the DJ at a radio station. Streaming eliminates those restrictions, offering complete freedom—but with that freedom comes a new kind of pressure; I often find myself anxiously choosing the next song in my head before the one that’s playing is over. In a world of endless choices, our brains race ahead, generating new desires before we’ve even finished experiencing the old ones, leaving us in a constant state of anticipation.

That is a type of headspace that streaming tended to induce in me.

 

[MattHooper]

Tracy Chapman refuses to stream music: "Artists get paid when you actually buy CD or vinyl"

Tracy Chapman has revealed she refuses to stream music, insisting that buying physical music is the only way for artists to get paid.

www.nme.com